From the Ashes
by FailingElegance
Summary: "But, things can go back to normal now." Lee stated, enthusiastically. Sakura scowled at that comment and her fists clenched until her knuckles turned snow white. "Things can never go back to the way they were." "It can, if you try," came his reply.
1. Chapter 1

**From the Ashes**

**Well this is my first story. Its just been floating around in my head, begging to be written down, so here it is. Hope you enjoy.**

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><p><em>"No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected."<em>

_―Julius Caesar_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**Ubiquity  
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><p>Sakura walked down the unfamiliar corridor, searching for somebody or something—she wasn't sure. There was only the faint hum of the flickering light fixtures overhead. She started to break into a jog down the hallway swerving through the corners as they came. After a while the walls started to close in on her, emitting a piercing shriek as they scraped across floor. The air was like a dense liquid, and finding that it was getting harder and harder to breath and harder and harder to move, Sakura sluggishly came to halt and found her attention being diverted to something at the end of the hall.<p>

A door had appeared at the end of the corridor. Opening with a thunderous clap, an enormous amount of light spilled through. A shadowed figure stood in the doorway. It took a step forward and placed its hands on each side of the passageway, and the walls ceased their movement. As it walked away from the blinding light, Sakura was finally able to register who this figure was. The word escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

"Mom," Sakura said to herself.

"You let me die, Sakura," Her mother said as she slowly approached her. The light being emitted from the end of the hall disappeared as the door slowly closed. "You let _us _die."

Sakura took a step back, and her mother's movement came to a stop. Her mother's head slowly slid off her shoulders and came to rest on the ground in front of Sakura, only about five feet away. The now headless body slumped to the ground, and Sakura watched the head while its eyes grew a dark red and formed three black tomoes.

"Weak," spoke the head. However, it was no longer the voice of her mother but the voice of someone who she hadn't seen in six years.

"Sasuke," Sakura whispered.

As if on cue, the walls started to move again, this time more rapidly. Sakura put her hands out from her side in an effort to stop the advancing walls. It wasn't enough; she heard the bones snap as the walls crushed her protruded arms. After the immense pain finally registered, she let out an terrible scream. She started to flail around helplessly, trying to find a way—any way—to survive her imminent death.

Her eyes shot open. She sat up and realized how quick she was breathing and slowly composed herself: taking in deep breaths to even the flow of air. Her hair was plastered to the sides of her face by a layer of cold sweat.

After her breathing returned to normal, she looked outside her window. The sun had yet to rise. This became even more apparent when she turned toward the clock and it read: _4:51_. She let out a sigh and removed the covers from her.

After walking into the bathroom, she flicked on the lights and observed her image in the mirror. Not only did her face and shoulder-length hair glisten with perspiration but so did her arms and legs. Sakura shifted toward the shower and turned the faucet, releasing the warm water. After stripping herself of the sweaty clothing, she stepped into the shower and instantly felt relief when the water made contact.

After her shower, she stepped back into her room. From the window she noticed the Sun finally creeping past the horizon. _5:43_, her clock read. It was a tendency of hers to spend more time than necessary in the shower after one of her nightmares.

Wrapped in a towel, she made her way to the dresser and fished for her standard jonin vest. After finding it, Sakura placed it on her bed and went to retrieve the rest of her clothes. Her eyes stopped on the object on her dresser.

Her ANBU mask.

Some people thought it was strange that Sakura decided to have a life of extreme danger, than of the simple one she found when she used to work for the Konoha Hospital. Many of her friends, Naruto and Ino the most, urged her not to join the ANBU due to it being hazardous, even Tsunade was against it when she told her that she wanted to quit her job at the hospital. But, deep down they knew why she quit. The place held too many memories.

Her mother used to work at the same hospital as her, and after she died, Sakura started seeing her everywhere at her job.

It was too much.

So, she quit, and opted to join the ANBU as a medical shinboi, instead. She needed something to keep her mind astray. The missions that the ANBU members received more than sufficed, so it was fine with her.

Unwillingly, her thoughts wandered to Sasuke and his teammates, Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo, whose current whereabouts were unknown. She wondered if he was still with them. After their victory in the Fourth Shinobi World War, Team Taka somehow slipped away amidst the celebration and hadn't been heard from in the six years following. Two years ago, however, her ANBU team was sent to recon an area near Amegakure due to thoughts of Team Taka residing there, but nothing turned up useful. That was the closest to Sasuke she had gotten in the past years, if you could define it "close," anyway.

She finished dressing and slipped her vest over her attire. She wasn't scheduled for any ANBU missions today and didn't expect to be called for any.

She stood and finally turned on the lights in her bedroom.

She no longer lived in her old home. She, instead, lived in an apartment by herself. It consisted of a living room and kitchen conjoined to it. It had only one bedroom and two bathrooms—one near the entrance of her apartment, and one in her bedroom.

Sakura ventured from her bedroom to the living room and flicked on the light switch. Wanting to pass the time, she strolled over to the book case and picked up a book labeled, _On the Anatomy of Humans. _Sakura sat down on the couch and began reading.

After some amount of time she heard a knock. She placed the book back on the shelf and walked over to the door. She opened and let the bright light pour into her apartment. Her eyes took a second to adjust to the new level of light. However, when she could see clearly, she saw a giant smile on her favorite blond-haired ninja.

"Hi, Sakura!" Naruto said loudly. Her eyes went to Hinata who stood next to him.

"Hi," Hinata greeted, giving Sakura a small wave.

"Hey, guys," She smiled back in return. Sakura never understood how such a loud person could be perfectly paired with a soft, gentle one. But, whatever they were doing, it was working because they moved in with each other over half a year ago, and have been a couple for a little over four years.

"Sakura, we were just wondering if you'd like to go with us to Ichiraku's," Naruto asked. "We haven't seen you for a whole week since you were on a mission and all."

"Can I safely assume you will be paying for all of our meals?" Sakura playfully quipped. Hinata chuckled.

"Uhh, sure, I guess," he replied looking into his wallet and counting the money he had.

"I'm kidding, Naruto. I'm ready to go when you are," Sakura said as she closed the door behind her.

The three of them walked to Ichiraku's, making idle conversation on the way. They waved back at many who people who recognized Naruto as the "village hero" and Sakura as a "medical prodigy." After about fifteen minutes, they could finally see Ichiraku's. Naruto quickened his pace and sat near the middle. He signaled for Hinata and Sakura to sit on either side. Sakura sat on Naruto's left and Hinata on his right. A cheeky grin crept on his lips.

"I'd like Miso Ramen, please," Naruto suddenly exclaimed. Ayame gave him a warm smile and shifted toward Hinata to get her order.

"Same, please," Hinata said. Ayame turned her head to Sakura.

"I'll have Tonkotsu ramen," Sakura said giving a smile back.

"Hey, Ayame, where's the old man?" Naruto questioned.

"We're sort of running low on noodle dough, so he went to pick up more," Ayame answered after she finished writing their meals on a slip of paper. "Okay, two Misos and a Tonokotsu?" She asked.

They nodded their heads in confirmation.

"Alright," she said. Ayame turned around and started on preparing the ramen.

"So, Sakura, was the mission difficult?" Naruto asked, turning his head in her direction.

"Not really," Sakura spoke truthfully. "A hospital near Kumo just needed help with some of its patients." They continued to talk about her mission when Ayame softly interjected.

"And here you go." She had three bowls of ramen on one of her arms, and she expertly placed them down in front of their respective owners.

Sakura broke her chopsticks apart and muttered a soft, "Thank you." Sakura inhaled the scent of her food and was about to start eating, but a small pigeon landed softly on her shoulder, immediately diverting her attention. A small note was being clutched in one of the bird's feet. Sakura removed it, and the bird fluttered away. She looked down at the note and read it in her mind.

It was a summon from Tsunade.

Sakura let out a small sigh and stood from her stool.

"I need to go, guys," Sakura said. They both gave a nod of understanding.

"It was good seeing you, Sakura," Hinata said.

"Hey, Sakura, since you're going to be leaving how about you...?" Naruto pointed at her food. Hinata gave Naruto a gentle accusatory shove. Sakura could only laugh.

"Yeah, yeah." She gently pushed her bowl of ramen to Naruto.

"Thanks, Sakura!" Exclaimed Naruto with a cheeky grin.

She handed the money her food cost to Ayame and quickly walked out of the ramen shop toward the direction of the Hokage's office. She walked through various amounts of doors and up a flight of stairs and reached Tsunade's door. She lightly knocked on it.

"Come in!" Tsunade shouted from her office. Sakura stepped inside and waited for Tsunade to acknowledge her. "Sakura," Tsunade said lifting her head from her work. "Ibiki, needs you for a second in the dungeons."

The dungeons. Sakura always hated going down there. The terrible stench and the occasional scream of pain or anguish always got to her the most.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," she said giving her mentor a bow of respect. Tsunade offered her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. We all have our duties."

"I understand."

"You're dismissed," Tsunade said gently. Sakura gave her another small bow of respect and backed out of the door behind her. She shut the door and took a deep breath, then started walking out of the building.

She honestly hated going to the dungeons more than pretty much anything. She was often called when a prisoner was either acting rebellious and was, therefore, punished, or when a prisoner got interrogated and was harmed physically.

Walking through the streets, she finally came upon the interrogation headquarters and was ushered inside by Ibiki. They swerved through multiple rooms and eventually got to one with a small, square door located on the floor. Ibiki undid the lock and walked down the stairs that appeared. Sakura closely followed.

The odor attacked her nose like a punch to the face. No matter how many times she ventured down into these walls she could never get used to the pungent smell. After walking down various stone hallways, lit only by the faint flickering candles on the walls, she came to the door that led to one of the many interrogation room.

"Let's get this over with quickly." Ibiki opened the door and she could see the bloodstained, stone slab being washed clean by two other people. "Are you ready to tell us, what we need to know?" He said as he walked to the direction of the dark cell in front of them.

No answer.

Ibiki let out a sigh. "Sakura, can you heal the prisoner's back?" Sakura noticed the man, who was facing away from them, shift slightly in the chair he was sitting in. "Don't worry, his chakra's been sealed." She nodded and waited for Ibiki to unlock the cell door. The prisoners always had a large portion of the chakra sealed before being placed in a cell, so they could be handled easily without fear of being overpowered or killed.

She stepped inside the cell and watched the prisoner lower his shirt to unveil his wounds. Nearly every inch of his back was filled with slashes, glistening with blood. Noticing that even though this was the case, none of the cuts were particularly deep so they would heal without even a scar left. She began to focus her chakra into her hands and waited for them to turn a soft green color. After she let her hands hover slightly away from his back, she watched as the cuts on his body began to slowly and completely heal. After finishing, she walked out of the cell and was getting ready to ask Ibiki if he required more of her until what he said next made her stop dead.

"Uchiha, want to start giving us answers?" Ibiki said flicking on the lights of the cell. Wait. Uchiha? Sasuke Uchiha?

The man in the cell turned his head slightly, with his arm over the back of the chair, and looked at the both of them.

It was definitely Sasuke Uchiha.

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><p><strong>The ending was pretty obvious, of course, at least in my opinion. My first piece of writing and right now I'm just trying to build up the story.<strong>

**Review, please. Tell me something you liked, disliked, and maybe a little bit of constructive criticism.**


	2. Chapter 2

**From the Ashes  
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><p><em>"It takes two to speak the truth—one to speak and another to hear."<em>

_―Henry David Thoreau_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Obligation**

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><p>In all honesty, she thought the last time she would ever see Sasuke would be on a battlefield, ready to kill one another. So, when she saw him sitting in the chair with his expressionless face toward her, it was enough to make her falter in her step.<p>

"Am I done here?" Sakura asked Ibiki as she quickly recomposed herself.

He nodded. Sakura turned on her heels and sauntered out of the room. She quickly made her way to the Tsunade's office in the Hokage's building. She gave a knock on the door, waiting for an answer.

"Come in," Tsunade said from inside. Sakura stepped in.

"Why didn't you tell me Sasuke was here?" Sakura asked her mentor, clearly annoyed but nonetheless keeping her cool.

"It would be easier for you if you went to see him for yourself," was her simple reply.

"I still had the right to know," Sakura countered stubbornly.

"Sakura," Shizune—who Sakura just realized was currently present—said trying to alleviate the tension in the room. "Lady Tsunade was trying to do what was best for y—."

"No, Shizune." Tsunade sighed. Tsunade turned to Sakura "You're probably right. Maybe, I _should _have told you," Tsunade continued. "But even if I did, what would you have done? I was unsure how you'd react, so I stayed on the safe side."

Sakura got angrier looking at her mentor's composed position. "How did you get him?" She was, in all honesty, completely perplexed on how they had come to detain Sasuke.

"He was found near a small town within the Land of Fire and when he was approached, he didn't put up a fight. However, Sasuke was alone. They didn't find his other teammates there, but it doesn't matter, Sasuke was top priority. "

This took Sakura somewhat by surprise. Sasuke didn't put up a fight? Was it because he knew he couldn't win? Did he have a low amount of Chakra? Could it be that he wanted to come back? It could be a possibility. After the Allied Shinobi Forces were victorious, he just disappeared, leaving behind no traces. Maybe he came to his senses. All these questions lingered in Sakura's mind before Tsunade's voice brought her back to reality.

"There is nothing left for me to tell you," Tsunade said. "You're dismissed."

"How long will he be held for?" Sakura questioned not yet moving.

"It's undetermined. It could be a week, a month, a year, a decade, or life. It really all depends on his behavior because we haven't had trouble with him for the past six years, and plus, he assisted us in winning the war." Tsunade's expression softened. "Sakura, I'm trying my best to make Sasuke's punishment as light as possible, but the village elders are constantly persisting me in to executing him." Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "I'm doing all I can," she finished.

"I understand," Sakura said. She gave a slight bow and left the room. She now felt guilty from not seeing the situation from Tsunade's standpoint. She was, in fact, doing the best she can, trying her hardest to stand opposed to the elders' decision.

Sakura walked outside and she stared blankly in front of her.

Sasuke was back.

It still hadn't sunk. Whether she should be happy, angry, sad, or annoyed, she didn't know. Sakura wondered if any others knew about his return other than her. Her mind wandered to Naruto and pondered over how he would take this news. She was ripped from her thoughts by a familiar voice calling her name.

"Sakura!" She saw Ino walking toward her briskly.

Sakura walked in her direction and met her halfway. Ino immediately pulled her into an embrace.

"How was your mission?" She said releasing her hug.

"It was fine. Nothing special. Were you going to see Tsunade?"

"No, not really. I was actually on my way to Shikamaru's, but then, I saw you."

This came as no surprise to Sakura. Ino and Shikamaru had been dating for years now. She still couldn't help but wonder what a person like Ino saw in Shikamaru. He was a genius, obviously. He could do wonders in the battlefield, and this held true during the recent world war. But, she doubted this was the main reason why Ino liked him. Sakura believed it was his carefree demeanor.

"Walk with me?" Ino asked.

"Okay." Sakura agreed as she and Ino started their stroll to the Shikamaru's house.

Children were frolicking in the streets, laughing and giggling. Sakura observed them playing things from hopscotch to tag. One of the kids that was engaged in a heated game with his friends, accidentally bumped into Sakura.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Sakura!" The child said apologetically as Sakura turned to face him.

"Oh, its no problem," Sakura responded with a light smile, sinking down to his level and giving the child a light pat on the head. The child beamed a smile at her and and ran back to go play with his friends. After she stood back up she felt a soft nudge at her side. She turned to face Ino.

"You're so good with kids, Sakura. I envy you," Ino praised as they began walking down the road again. Ino constantly told her this. Sakura could only guess the reason of children's fondness with her. Maybe it was all the time she used to spend at the hospital, having to associate with them at times.

"Maybe if things go smooth with Shikamaru's, you two could have your own kids," Sakura suggested playfully with an eyebrow raised and giving a sly smirk.

Ino could only laugh at Sakura's expression, causing Sakura let out a soft laugh as well. Ino always had this effect on Sakura. Someone that could always make her smile and laugh no matter what mood she was in. She loved Ino for that.

However, after their laughter receded, her mind wandered to Sasuke. She wondered wondered if Ino knew about his return. She probably didn't.

"Ino," Sakura began turning her head to Ino.

"Yeah?"

"Sasuke's back." There was a wave a silence that hit after that. Sakura looked at Ino and saw her face of pure shock.

"Oh," was all she could muster.

"He's being held prisoner," Sakura continued.

"How—I mean...why did he come back?" Ino asked utterly confused.

"I'm not completely sure. Though, Tsunade said that he was captured outside a small town, without a fight."

"So, he came back willingly?"

"Maybe." Sakura mused aloud. If Sasuke came back willingly that would mean he might want to stay and things could go back to the way they were before.

No.

Things would never go back to the way before. Too much happened in the years he was absent.

The two of them turned a few corners and eventually arrived at the doorstep of Shikamaru's apartment. Before Ino could knock on the door, Sakura tapped her on the shoulder causing Ino to turn around.

"I'll be taking my leave, Ino. Have fun," Sakura said as she hugged her best friend.

Sakura walked away before giving one last wave to her Ino and continued on her way. She reached the place where Team 7 became an actual team: the Third Training Ground. After walking into the clearance, she was mesmerized by the beauty of this day. The leaves on the trees were rustling in the light wind while the water softly lapped the shore of the pond. She walked over to one of the wooden posts and sat down, leaning on it. Hearing the sound of feet approach her, she turned her head to face the blonde ninja.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted running up to her.

Sakura turned to face him and searched for his dark-haired partner.

"Where's Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"She had business to take care of with her dad," Naruto answered as he went to sit next to Sakura.

"Did she specify?"

"No, not really," Naruto said closing his eyes. He took in a deep breath and opened his eyes, wearing a cheeky grin.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"What do you plan on doing today?" He questioned, still wearing his smile.

"I don't know. I really don't have anything planned at the moment," Sakura replied. Naruto's face brightened.

"We should spar!" He exclaimed, enthusiastically.

"I'm not really in the mood for a spar," Sakura stated.

"Aww, but Sakura," Naruto complained, placing his hands behind his head.

"Sorry, Naruto. I would rather not do anything today. I have a lot on my mind," She said. This was true. No doubt about it. But Sakura knew he would press the subject however. So she waited for Naruto's reply.

"Like?" he persisted. And there it was.

Should she tell him? Of course, she should. He had a right to know, and in all truth, Naruto was probably going to figure out anyway. So, she sighed. "Sasuke's back, Naruto."

She couldn't exactly place the emotion that displayed on Naruto's face. Confusion? Joy? Sorrow? It was hard to tell, but she knew shock was one of them.

"Is this a joke?" He asked. There was anger in his voice, which Sakura didn't expect.

"No," Sakura replied. "I wouldn't joke about that," She said sincerely, turning her head to face Naruto.

Naruto pushed himself the ground. Sakura, knowing where he was about to go, copied his movements and followed Naruto as he started to run and jump through the trees at a blinding pace. In less than a minute with Naruto's blinding speed, Sakura eventually found herself observing a heated discussion between Naruto and Tsunade.

"Is it true? That Sasuke's back?" Naruto shouted. He sounded a lot like her when she was first revealed with the discovery, except angrier, of course.

"Yes, Naruto. He's back," Tsunade calmly responded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked getting more furious by the second.

"Because, I didn't know how you would react?" It was the same thing Tsunade said to Sakura just earlier that day. "Even so, I knew you were eventually going to find out. You could say I wanted to have as much peace and quiet as possible," she said rubbing her temples, probably from the growing headache.

Sakura watched her friend and mentor continue to argue back and forth with one another. Her eyes drifted over to Shizune standing next to Tsunade's desk. Shizune scratched her head and gave her a smile that said something like: _I not to sure what to do. How about you?_. Sakura, however, knew exactly what to do. She walked over to the blonde ninja and hit him in the back of the head with her fist.

"Ow!" Naruto started to rub his head with one of his hands.

"Get over it, Naruto," Sakura said, annoyed.

"So, Sasuke's back after all, huh?"

The four of them turned their attention to the man that was now perched on Tsunade's open window sill, reading his book as if nothing in the world mattered at the moment.

"Kakashi, when did you get there?" Naruto asked, still massaging his head.

"About a minute ago." Kakashi said as he placed his book in his pouch and climbed out of the window onto the floor. He leaned his lower half on Tsunade's desk, and Sakura saw the scowl that appeared on Tsunade's face and couldn't help but giggle under breath.

"But yes," Tsunade spoke, reverting the conversation back to the main topic. "He is being held in the interrogation center."

"What? Why?" Naruto asked with all his loudness returning.

"Because, Naruto, he is an S-rank missing nin," Tsunade responded in a matter-of-fact fashion.

"When is he being released?" Naruto questioned.

"Like I told Sakura earlier, it all depends on his behavior." Tsunade said resting back in her chair.

Naruto swiftly turned around and abruptly marched out of Tsunade's office. Tsunade looked at Kakashi. He let out a sigh, knowing exactly what that look meant.

"I'm sure he'll cool down, but I'll still go talk to him," Kakashi said. He opened the door and followed after Naruto. About a second went by and another person walked through the door and bowed to Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade," the man started. "Ibiki requires the assistance of a medic."

Tsunade turned toward Sakura.

"Understood," Sakura mumbled. Sakura followed the man out of Tsunade's office and on to the streets of Konoha. Sakura followed him back to the Interrogation Headquarters where she was sure Ibiki would be waiting for her. She knocked on the door, and after being let in by Ibiki, the man that brought her slightly bowed to him and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Ibiki didn't falter in his step, however, and she was once again ushered into the putrid, dimly-lit passage. She and Ibiki made their way to the door to Sasuke's interrogation chamber, and Ibiki walked inside, being followed by Sakura. The two people surrounding Sasuke set their tools down and backed away from raven-haired man.

Sasuke was strapped by the ankles and wrists, on the stone slab located near the middle of the room only in his shorts. She could see the sweat and fresh cuts shining on him and the bruises splayed across his body; his chest rose and fell, trying to take in needed air. He looked exhausted.

He turned his head toward her.

"Here to heal me, so they can torture me some more?" He wryly asked.

The first thing he said to her in years.

Sakura didn't respond, though. She slowly approached Sasuke and focused the chakra to her hands until they glowed with a faint green color. She hovered her hands over Sasuke's body and slowly closed up the wounds and clearing the bruises from his torso with not even a scar. She could see Sasuke's breathing return to normal and after the job was finished, she backed up and turned to Ibiki.

"Why are you torturing him?" She asked dully.

"We want answers," Ibiki replied walking over to Sasuke. "Sasuke," he started. "Why did you come back to Konoha? If you refuse to answer, then we will be forced to torture you until you do."

No answer.

Ibiki let out a heavy sigh and continued, "Sasuke, what would you say, if I tortured Ms. Haruno in your place?" Sasuke looked at Sakura and scoffed.

"I'd call you crazy," was his answer.

Ibiki seemed to think greatly over this response and rested his bottom on the stone slab where Sasuke was laying. Ibiki looked at Sakura, who was rooted to the spot, and let out an excess of air. "What was your reason for being within Konoha's jurisdiction?" Ibiki asked, turning to face him.

Still no answer.

"Would I be safe to assume that coming here was on your own free will," Ibiki added.

He answered this time. " You'd be right. My brother's wish was for me to start over and go back to Konoha," Sasuke said impassively.

"So, an obligation, huh?" Ibiki said to himself. "Makes sense." Ibiki motioned for the two men standing on the other side of Sasuke to remove the straps around his wrists and ankles. After completing that small task, Ibiki dismissed the two men. Sasuke sat up and instinctively rubbed wrists. He let his feet make contact with the concrete floor, and he focused at Sakura. She didn't move but only stared back at Sasuke, wondering what was going on his head.

Ibiki got up and grabbed Sasuke's arm forcing him to his feet and pushed him back in the cell. Sasuke took his shirt that was on his cot and slipped it on.

"Sakura, let's go," Ibiki said walking around Sakura and out the door.

Sakura looked at Sasuke's form and then walked out the room.

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><p><strong>Things are still developing and the story will start to progress in about another chapter or two.<strong>

**Tell me what you think in the beautiful section called reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3

**From the Ashes**

**I'm introducing the story a little bit from Shikamaru's point of view in this chapter and finally Sasuke's. I am adding POV from Shikamaru's because I feel as though he can add a lot to the story. And speaking of the story, part of the plot will be introduced in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy.**

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><p><em>"Little by little the old world crumbled, and not once <em>**  
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_did the king imagine that some of the pieces might fall on him"_

_―Jennifer Donelly,_ Revolution

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Rebirth**

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><p>That girl wouldn't leave him alone, wouldn't leave him to suffer, wouldn't leave him to forget about her. Day after day, he suffered. Day after day, she came. Day after day, she healed him. The cycle repeated each day. Eat, interrogate, heal, eat, sleep... eat, interrogate, heal, eat, sleep. This repetitive sequence was the only way he kept track of time, and by his simple routine he judged he had been in this little room for at least two weeks.<p>

Sasuke watched as for the seventh time as Sakura Haruno walked out of the interrogation room with Ibiki and left him to himself.

He settled himself as comfortably as possible on the cot and started eating the food left for him.

At the beginning of each day Sasuke would receive bottles of water and containers of food to drink and eat. The first day, however, he made the mistake to consume all of it at one time. Unfortunately, he received no food later on that day. He then knew that was all he was going to get. So, the days after he dutifully rationed his food to last him the entirety of the day.

After he took one last swig of the bottle of water, he lied down and went to sleep.

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><p>He never expected Sakura to be here participating in his interrogation. She stopped coming, however, after the interrogation team stopped being particularly "physical" as they put it. But even when his old pink haired teammate came, Sakura gave him little to no recognition. It was still a surprise that he would see her here of all places. He couldn't help but wonder if she volunteered for the position, to be his healer.<p>

Sasuke knew that coming back to Konoha meant that he would have to face his previous teammates. He didn't know what their initial response would be, but he expected to see some sort of reaction from the girl who used to love him, instead he was only met with indifference.

It didn't bother him much, though, if his previous teammate wasn't going to converse with him, it didn't matter. He could do fine without his old comrades. He was able to survive years with only himself.

His attention shifted to the small light outside of his cell as it flickered and buzzed an annoying sound as he sat on his little cot awaiting his interrogation.

The door gave a defiant squeal as it opened revealing Ibiki in his dark trench coat. He watched as Ibiki entered the room, examining his position on the cot. Ibiki leaned his wait on the interrogation slab and spoke casually.

"Your questioning is over."

Sasuke didn't respond. For all he knew this master torturer could be using his skills right now, feeling him out, examining how he'd react to the confirmation of his freedom.

"You're right not to trust me," Ibiki continued. "But, I assure you that I'm serious." Ibiki reached in his pocket and fished out, from what he could see, a sheet of paper with a broken seal. "_This order_—" he began reading "_is for the immediate cessation of the interrogation of the prisoner, Sasuke Uchiha, and is to be carried out with due swiftness__. _Signed by the Hokage herself." Ibiki rotated the paper so Sasuke could confirm what he had heard.

"Then am I being released?" Sasuke asked after reading the letter for himself.

"No," was the short reply.

Sasuke scowled.

"You'll be kept here until the council and Lady Tsunade determine what to do with you."

"What charges are against me? Why exactly am I being held?" They never officially told him for what he was being accused. However, he was sure he could guess.

Ibiki chuckled at the question. "You're an international criminal Sasuke. That stunt you pulled at the Kage summit labeled you as such, plus all your crimes against Konoha only adds fuel to the fire. Your affiliation with Orochimaru, your desertion of Konoha," Ibiki listed. "The Daimyo wanted you dead. The council did, too, but Tsunade was able to convince them that because you are the only Uchiha left, your Sharingan is invaluable. They reluctantly agreed and do not wish for your execution any longer. You should thank her."

So, Tsunade was on his side. That was good to hear. Without her, he would undoubtedly be set to die by the that damn council. The same council that gave the death sentence for his entire clan, minus Danzo, of course.

"Until a decision is reached regarding your fate, you will stay here."

"How long will it take?" He didn't wish to spend his remaining life in this cell.

"Who knows. But Naruto seems to constantly bug her about your release."

Naruto. The last time he had seen him was when the Allied Shinobi forces won the war. Sasuke left without a trace after that. Staying low and under the radar for years. That was until the guilt he felt for disobeying Itachi's wish for him to return to Konoha and start a new life was to much to bear. And so he returned to the Land of Fire and within a day he was secured by the Konoha shinobi and ended up here in this dark and dank cell.

"I'll be taking my leave." Ibiki turned and left.

* * *

><p>The gold general glared at him with a taunting demeanor. It was the heart of army, protecting those around him. The most important under his protection was the king—and that, he could exploit. However, if he did not proceed cautiously, he would certainly lose his chance. His knight rode in and captured the the opposing knight. He knew what his opponent was trying to do. There was a trap lying in wait for him, however he knew how to negate it. The gold general hesitated, calculated and analyzing. He proceed to capture the knight.<p>

He dropped the previously apprehended knight next to the general, hoping he'd buy the bait. His opponent eyed the knight cautiously evaluating the consequences, weighing the pros and cons. The gold general captured the knight—a grave error.

And like that it was clockwork.

The king was now vulnerable. He dropped the rook he captured earlier and checked the king. The series of checks and blocks, he had all calculated, something his opponent did not. He advanced his lance forward.

"Checkmate," Shikamaru stated.

The blonde in front of him stared at the shogi board and let a resigning sigh. "Dammit, Shikamaru!" Ino crossed her arms. "I thought you would give check to the king after capturing the knight, not drop the knight immediately."

"It was tempting, but after a check. The gold general blocks, and with him out of the way it allows for the bishop to threaten to capture my undefended rook. If I move rook to the only square it could go. Bishop checks the my king and at the same time attacks my rook." Shikamaru moved the pieces as he commentated. "In the end I would undoubtedly lose rook without any compensation. Nevertheless, it's interesting that you saw it."

"You're too good at this. I can't ever beat you," Ino said, then smiled. "It's enjoyable, though." They were in Ino's apartment next to the open window, allowing the fresh breeze to enter.

Shikamaru smiled back. Before they started dating, Shikamaru would have never thought that he would have an enjoyable game of shogi with Ino, never in a million years. However, in the second month of their dating, Ino asked if he'd teach her the rules and how to play. It caught him off guard he could admit, but he agreed and in the following years, she had increasingly gotten better.

He was genuinely fond of when they would engage in a game. She looked beautiful with her brow furrowed in concentration, her ocean blue eyes locked on the board calculating the ins and outs of each move.

"Again?" Ino proposed. Before he could answer, he saw a bird flutter towards the open window and perch on the table on which they were playing. Noticing the note attached to its leg, he gently removed the paper and watched the bird flutter off.

"What's it say?" Ino asked curiously. He opened the note and quickly read over the short, concise order.

"Tsunade wants me to see her immediately," he answered, rubbing his temples, irritated at being summoned.

"I'll clean up then. Best not keep her waiting," Ino said packing up the pieces and the board. Shikamaru leaned over the table and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you later, Shika," she giggled.

"Bye, Ino," said Shikamaru.

He exited her apartment and begrudgingly made the trek to the Hokage's office.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for coming, Shikamaru," Tsunade said. "I know you want to get this over with, so I'll cut to the chase. I need you to deliver this request for a military alliance from the Daimyo himself to Otogakure." Tsunade handed him the sealed letter.<p>

A military alliance with Otogakure? Sure, Oto was nowhere as dangerous as it was when Orochimaru was heading the village but surely the other nations will find it odd for the Land of Fire to throw out an offer of alliance with a village hated by most other nations.

"Is that really a good idea Lady Tsunade. How will the other Great Shinobi Nations view this?"

"Our relationship with Kiri, Kumo, Iwa, and Suna, as well as their respective nations was strengthened by the Fourth Shinobi War. If either has a problem with this alliance. We'll discuss it diplomatically."

"Is it because of the new leader? I'm guessing that's the reason why the Daimyo wants this alliance?" Inquired Shikamaru.

"Yes, now with Orochimaru gone, the Daimyo, along with the council feel as if we can get on peaceful terms with Oto and its current leader, Kazuhira Mizushima, it'll be beneficial to both nations: Ours and Sound."

Shikamaru pondered the declaration. Otogakure was a very different village than it was before the Fourth Shinobi War six years ago. While before the war, Oto was a disorganized village that really had no sense of identity. Now, he could only _assume_ that things were better. Outsiders were not permitted within the walls of the village. Iron walls, to be exact. The only image a foreigner would see is the towering fortress-like perimeter of the village.

"Would forming an alliance with Oto really help the rest of the country, though?" He asked, unsure of the Fire Daimyo's intentions. "Other than Oto, most of Sound is simply many rebel villages with an enormous amount of tension with each other. Kazuhira doesn't seem to bother with any other village but his own."

"You speak the truth. Sound wasn't much of an organized country especially after the Daimyo of Sound allowed for Orochimaru to establish the hidden village within its borders, and even though its leader, Kazuhira doesn't involve himself with the affairs of the other villages of Sound, the Daimyo, the elders, and myself included, think that if we offer an alliance to Oto then the other villages will eventually join as well."

"One joins. The rest follows." Tsunade nodded in confirmation. "But realistically ," Shikamaru continued, "Would a military alliance with Oto quell the hostility of every other village in Sound?"

"All in time. We hope that with offering an alliance to Otogakure will show the other villages in Sound that we are willing to cooperate and get on peaceful terms with them as well," Tsunade finished.

Peace. That was the driving factor behind the alliance, not an intention to war another nation, but simply peace. Shikamaru hoped every shinobi wished for such a thing especially after the previous Great War. He knew that was what he wished. But, his rational side understood that there will always be people who would do anything to ruin the world for the sole sake of enjoyment. So, maybe this alliance with Oto would be a step in the right direction, at least.

He looked back at the parchment with the Fire Daimyo's seal on it. "Will I be alone? Or will I have a team to help deliver the request?"

"You'll be with a team of your choosing. I'm sure with your strategic prowess, you'll choose a better team than I would have," she answered honestly. "Just so you know I've classified this mission as S-rank, Shikamaru. This mission and alliance is of top priority to the Land of Fire. You'll need to leave tomorrow morning with whomever you choose."

Shikamaru was never much for politics. Of course, he knew the workings of it, and he understood the intentions behind seemingly harmless and arbitrary actions a nation would take in response to certain events. How troublesome it would be though if he had to reason with someone else the benefits of a military alliance with the Land of Fire, even if it was just a single village. "Will a diplomat be accompanying us to Oto, or..."

"No," she answered. "I'd rather not risk the injury of an important diplomat. Sound isn't exactly the safest place in the world, and don't worry. You don't need to negotiate the alliance with Kazuhira, only propose it. That is, if you're even allowed access to the city, which I'm hoping you are." Shikamaru and gave a nod of understanding.

"Naruto and Choji," he stated dully. Tsunade was mildly confused at Shikamaru's statement. "My team." He elaborated. "So, you'll know ahead of time."

"Ahh, it shouldn't come as a surprise to me that you already have a team picked out within a small amount of time." Tsunade gave a light chuckle. "You're dismissed."

Before he left, though, he need to ask a question. "Has Sasuke really returned?"

"Yes," she responded, simply. His mission to retrieve Sasuke was one he remembered vividly. He along with all of his teammates almost died trying to retrieve the Uchiha. That mission taught him that a strategy can always be better, more thoroughly thought out, and that even _his_ plans can have holes.

"I see," he spoke. "How troublesome."

* * *

><p>He had not fallen asleep by the time Ibiki reentered the room and walked towards his cell, so from what he could gather it had not even been a full day since they last spoke.<p>

"Lady Tsunade wishes to see you." Ibiki unlocked his cell door and motioned for him to follow. "Let's not keep her waiting."

Sasuke followed him out of the room, through the large underground corridors that strongly reminded him of Orochimaru's hideouts. The pathway eventually led to stairs and for the first time in weeks he finally was able to see the sunlight as it poured through the window.

"However," Ibiki said, slowing to a halt, "You are going to need to take a shower, Sasuke. You should at least look presentable."

_I wonder why I don't?_ He though wryly but left the comment unspoken.

Ibiki led him to a door and motioned for him to go inside. "I'll stay here and get you fresh clothes. I'll leave you alone because I'm sure you're not stupid enough to go out and doing something rash."

Sasuke knew Ibiki was taunting him and was confirmed of this when he gave him a smirk and walked away.

After Ibiki left, Sasuke sauntered into the bathroom and found his way to the showers and found that no one was there. He thought he would see at least one person in the showers, as well, but it was empty. He didn't really care, only found it strange.

Almost immediately following his shower, Ibiki shouted from the entrance that his clothes were waiting for him near the door. Sasuke dried off and went to retrieve his new clothes and changed into them. He opened the door and saw Ibiki leaning against the wall with a bag in his hand.

"Just put your old clothes in this." Ibiki motioned to the bag. Sasuke did as told and followed him out of the building.

"You should know, Sasuke," Ibiki said still looking forward. "You've caused quite a lot of mixed feelings throughout Konoha. Only recently did people know you were in custody. Tsunade kept your capture confidential to only those who really needed to know." Ibiki stopped abruptly and took a deep breathe. Sasuke was about to question why they weren't moving until he was caught off guard by what Ibiki said next. "Some people even think you're a hero. A hero you'd read in books: an anti hero, but a hero nonetheless." Ibiki looked at Sasuke, intently.

"Tch," Sasuke closed his eyes. "I'm no hero." He just couldn't help but notice the absolute irony of it. Him? A hero? He felt he could laugh but-

He was interrupted by a loud, boisterious guffaw let out Ibiki. People stared at them as they walked by, and Sasuke could see them whispering to each other.

"Can we go?" Sasuke asked impatiently, but apparently Ibiki did not hear. He just continued to laugh.

Sasuke could only look at the man—his shoulders bobbing up and down with laughter, his overcoat rustling. He eventually calmed down and looked at Sasuke.

"Let's go." He demanded as his fits mirth subsided.

They eventually found their way to Tsunade's office with her dismissing Ibiki.

"I hope he doesn't give you any trouble," Ibiki said.

"I'm sure we'll be find," Tsunade reassured. She looked at Sasuke with a calculating glance.

Ibiki bowed and exited the room.

Tsunade continued to looked at Sasuke, and Sasuke looked at Tsunade. They stayed like that until Tsunade broke the silence.

"Welcome back, Sasuke," she stated, still holding her gaze.

He didn't respond.

"Still as talkative as ever, I see." She reclined in her chair.

"Why did you want to see me?" Sasuke asked. Was it to tell him that she changed her mind and that he was to be executed tomorrow? Was it to tell him that he would be spending the remainder of his life in that wretched dungeon? These fears lingered in his mind, but he was sure not to show it.

"Don't sound too eager to go back to your cell, Uchiha." She looked out the window to the village below. "Lots have changed after you left, you know. With Pain destroying most of Konoha, many of the places had to be rebuilt."

He knew Konoha had been destroyed. He knew Pain had leveled the village to the ground with his Six Paths. But, what was bothering him was if the Uchiha compound was destroyed due to the invasion.

"I know what you're thinking, and yes, the Uchiha compound was obliterated like most of everything else. When the reconstruction process started, instead of rebuilding the compound, everyone opted to build a memorial to those who died during the massacre." Tsunade smiled. "Honestly, even if the village knew that the Uchiha were planning a coup d'état, I don't believe that it would have made a difference. I think they would have still wanted to honor those who died that day. But, that's beside the point, we kept Itachi's wishes and did not reveal any of it to the public. Only, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Hinata, Lee, Shikamaru, Ino, Gai, Kurenai, the elders, me and of course, you, knew the real person Itachi was.

He pondered and took in all she had said and asked "Why exactly are you telling me these things?"

"Because you'll need to find a place to live."

She was freeing him from his imprisonment.

She continued, "I had imagined that the Uchiha compound would be the first place you'd visit, or the place you would want to live."

It wouldn't have been. The memories would have suffocated him. He wasn't sure if he would ever want to visit that place again even if it was still standing, anyway.

"You're releasing me? Just like that?"

"Pretty much, I didn't forget the fact that you helped us win the Fourth Shinobi World War," Tsunade stated. "However—" there it was, Sasuke knew there was a catch. "—your Sharingan will be sealed for a six months."

Sasuke frowned deeply at this. "I'm assuming as punishment?"

"Of course—and, as insurance. The seal is complicated and only few people know it, those of whom will remain anonymous." _...to protect them from you_, he knew she was thinking. "This is because if you do plan on leaving again, you'll be going without that Sharingan of yours."

"Six months?"

"Yes, when spring comes around, the seal will be lifted," Tsunade confirmed.

He studied Tsunade and the idea of not using his kekkei genkai for six whole months, half a year. When the flowers start to bloom, so will his Sharingan. He was content with that. He finally relented, "Let's get this started, then."

* * *

><p>She had been used to it by now.<p>

Coming home with bruises, cuts, and scrapes was a regular occurrence for a member of ANBU. Finally in little apartment, Sakura removed her mask and placed it on her coffee table.

After removing the rest of her armor and clothing, she jumped in the shower and scrubbed herself clean. She put on a clean pair of pajamas and laid on her bed, eyes wide open, sleep eluding her. She sighed frustratingly. She wished that her friends lived close by but this was the only affordable apartment at the time when she was looking and sadly it was out of the way from everyone else she knew, granted it didn't stop her friends from visiting sometime, and she was sincerely grateful for that.

She walked to her living room and sat on the couch to resume reading the book she had left off before. Sakura did not know the time when her eyelids finally fluttered closed and she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

><p>Affter removing the first seal they had placed on him, it didn't take long to seal his Sharingan. Tsunade explained that the seal just prevented chakra from reaching his eyes and thus prevented him from activating his Sharingan. "The concept is simple, but the execution is somewhat difficult. It's easier if the sealer knows a good amount of knowledge of the chakra network, so of course, I had some help from the Hyuugas," she had said after she finished.<p>

She had given him enough money to find an apartment and to buy enough food for a month. "You might want to start looking for an apartment. You're free to leave."

And so he had, bringing him to where he was now, standing in front of an apartment complex, whose doors faced the outside. It was getting dark now, and the sun was setting on the village, so he made sure to quickly find an apartment, pay his month's rent, and with his new keys, clunked his way inside his new home.

Home.

How foreign the word seemed to him. He hadn't a decent home in years and now here he was. He would never consider one of Orochimaru's hideouts his home or any of the many places where he stayed following the conclusion of the Fourth Shinobi War. The apartment he was standing in now though, as the moonlight leaked through the window curtains, bathing him in subdued light, had all the characteristics of a "homey" place. Could it ever truly be home, though? He didn't know.

_It's a start_, he thought as he flopped on the couch and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>.<strong>

**.**

**.**

* * *

><p><strong>I always felt like the Land of Sound was a bit more disorganized than the other nations of the Ninja World, having no clear laws, especially under Orochimaru's rule. I don't know, just speculation.<strong>

**Also, in the story Otogakure is headed by a new leader named is Kazuhira Mizushima, so a bit of OC. New original characters will slowly leak into the storyline but there will not be many maybe only about three more and they certianly won't dominate it.  
><strong>

**By the way, for those of you who don't know the rules of shogi, it's a complicated game. But, whenever a piece is captured, the players are allowed to place it on any legal square on the shogi board. This is called a "drop."**

**Hope you enjoyed. Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

_"No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people._

_ Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same."  
><em>

_—_Jay Asher, _Thirteen Reason Why_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Reunion  
><strong>

* * *

><p>He awoke to darkness.<p>

Panic surged through him.

Sasuke couldn't see anything. Did Tsunade's seal blind him? Was that one of the after effects that she just failed to list. He sprung upright on the sofa and darted his eyes across the room. The faint outline of a table and chairs slowly became visible. He looked towards the window and noticed the sun had yet to risen. It was still dark out.

He wasn't blind. His eyes just hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet. He let out a frustrated sigh at his haste.

Sasuke strenuously lifted his aching back from the couch, cursing the choice he made to sleep on it, and made his way to his actual room; it wasn't anything spectacular: only a bed, dresser, and a small nightstand. He proceeded to strip his clothing and walk to the bathroom to wash.

After he showered and changed, he rummaged through the cabinets to see what type of food he needed to buy. The cabinets had only a couple of bowls and a few glass cups, and his stomach did not approve, releasing a low rumble of hunger.

He needed to go to the store, and luckily Tsunade provided him with enough money to allow to him to buy food for a month.

With a plan for the day, Sasuke stepped out of his apartment with the intent to explore the village to see if he could find a local grocery store. The sun was now barely past the horizon, bathing the village in its orange hue. He couldn't really notice it yesterday night, but now he realized that his apartment sat atop a small hill which gave a good vantage point of a small portion of Konoha.

He looked to the streets below. Not many people were walking around this early in the morning. Only a few, no doubt those who had jobs that required early arrival or ninja who had missions to which they needed to attend. Sasuke would dare to even say he enjoyed waking early to an atmosphere like this: calm, relaxed. Plus, there was always fewer people. It's not that he hated being near places that were crowded but if he could avoid them, he would.

He descended the steps to the street and started in a random direction, watching people as they passed. Most he did not recognized but few older folk whose appearance had not changed much he could slightly recall. How strange it must be to see the person who vowed to destroy the village casually walk the streets with them.

The hushed whispers and curious glances were nothing new either. It was a continuous thing even before his departure from Konoha. Anytime anyone saw the last Uchiha, the one who survived, walk down the streets there were always comments.

_"Poor child."_

_"I can't believe his brother did that."_

_"Itachi couldn't kill a squirt like him?" _He even recalled someone asking with morbid awe and amusement.

He missed Itachi.

There was no doubt about it. Every time he thought of how he killed his older brother made his heart clench and stomach turn. He often imagined how it would have been if Itachi didn't go through with his mission, if he didn't need to, if the Uchiha hadn't have been planing a coup. He would imagine what it would be like if Itachi, and his mother and father were still alive. He would imagine what they would say if they were to have seen him graduate from the academy or take the Chunin Exams, or considering he still left the village, how they would react when they figured out the their Sasuke had ran away to Orochimaru.

But he knew thinking like this didn't help. What was done was done.

His parents weren't alive.

His brother wasn't alive.

They were all dead.

And he missed them.

_"No matter what you become, I will always love you."_ Those were Itachi's final words to him following the defeat of Kabuto. He's replayed that scene in his head in the past years countless times.

He slowly came to a stop and observed his surroundings. He was certainly not near any store. It seemed in his reverie he unconsciously trekked to the training grounds that he was most familiar with, where he became an official ninja.

His stomach grumbled louder this time.

* * *

><p>Kakashi caught it out of the glimpse of his open eye, peered slightly above his book.<p>

From what he could tell, the newly freed Uchiha appeared to be lost in his thoughts walking down the streets, subconsciously avoiding people as they came. Kakashi deposited his book back in his pouch and followed him at a distance. He couldn't help it. He was curious as to where Sasuke was going. At first his destination seemed unclear but he soon realized that he was headed in the direction of the Third Training Ground.

This was confirmed when the Uchiha stepped past the treeline and made his way to the edge of the pond. He stood behind a tree just before the clearing and watched the Sasuke as he realized where he had just ended up. He seemed to intently observe his surroundings.

"Kakashi," he called out. "How long have you been following me?" It was no surprise to him that Sasuke was able to figure out that there was someone hiding and observing his movements—years of being a ninja, he supposed. Kakashi appeared from his spot behind the tree and gave Sasuke a nonchalant wave.

"A while," he answered making his way to the dark-haired man.

Sasuke looked at him. "What do you want?"

"As cheerful as ever, I see." Sasuke remained impassive at the comment. "Needed to see it with my own eyes. The last Uchiha willfully coming back to Konoha? What's that about?" Kakashi asked stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Why does it matter? I'm here aren't I?" Sasuke voiced. "Besides, I've already been interrogated by Ibiki, don't need you to do it as well." There was a pause between them, then Kakashi spoke.

"It was Itachi, wasn't it?" He wondered, his face solemn. He knew Sasuke loved his brother, and regretted killing him. _"What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone" _were Sasuke's words when he was twelve. He had told Sasuke that revenge was not the path he should go down, but he didn't listen. He couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Sasuke didn't answer. He didn't need to. Kakashi knew the answer without his response.

"Graduated from the academy at age seven, mastered the Sharingan at eight, passed the Chunin Exams at age ten," Kakashi stated in wonder. Years of studying and researching the files of Sasuke's older brother led him to these facts and more. Granted, he knew most of them already, however. Even though Itachi defected from the village, years prior to that incident he was all anyone could ever talk about. "He certainly was incredible, Sasuke."

"Don't talk about Itachi like you knew him, Kakashi," he snapped.

"I never claimed I did, Sasuke."

Sasuke scowled at him. "Then drop it."

Kakashi chuckled. "Itachi would be proud of you, Sasuke. He would be glad you returned." Sasuke didn't respond at this. He simply gazed back out to the pond. Where would things have been if Sasuke had not left those years ago. Kakashi had sometimes wondered this. _I would have helped you get stronger_, he thought.

"Tsunade told me that she temporarily sealed your Sharingan." Kakashi stated to the Uchiha.

"She calls it insurance. I don't disagree with her actions," Sasuke replied showing little emotion. That shocked him—how much Sasuke had matured. How he truly wanted to return, even if only for his brother. Sasuke accepted his punishment and even agreed with how Tsunade went about it. And, how willingly he would give up the Uchiha trademark to make amends surprised Kakashi.

"For how long?"

"Until spring."

"And you're okay with that?" Kakashi said more to himself than to Sasuke. He didn't hear the Uchiha respond only the sound of the his stomach growling. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, which earned him a scowl from Sasuke.

"Did you plan on training without having eaten anything?"

"It wasn't my intention to end up in this place."

"Let me treat you to breakfast, then."

There was a silence between them.

"Really?" Sasuke questioned, incredulously. Kakashi nodded and motioned to the direction of the village.

* * *

><p>In a couple of minutes Sasuke found himself sitting down at Ichiraku's with—as Naruto used to call him—the "old man" staring at him in a mix of joy, shock, and disappointment.<p>

"Sasuke Uchiha? Is that really you?" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku's sputtered.

Sasuke responded with a simple nod. The shop owner had not changed much, since Sasuke was last here, although the lines of old age appeared more defined on his face. He had started to develop gray hairs on his head and his movements were slower than what Sasuke remembered. This he noted from how the man shuffled through his small shop. Teuchi gave Sasuke a genuine smile.

"I'm glad you're back son. Ayame and I missed you." With that he took their order and went to cook the food.

It was an interesting thought. One that he struggled with often, the thought of people actually caring about him. People who actually missed him. He had yet to speak with Naruto since his arrival, but he wondered how the blond would react if they saw each other.

"Don't be so surprised, Sasuke." Kakashi looked over to him. "There are people who actually missed you."

He remained silent. Minutes passed before their food was delivered and after Sasuke pulled apart his chopsticks, Kakashi made a final comment. "Glad your back, Sasuke."

No words formed in Sasuke's mouth to respond.

The two of them finished their food in silence. Remembering he still needed to go to a grocery store, Sasuke nodded a thanks at his former teacher and left.

* * *

><p>"The village gates are in the opposite direction, Naruto," Shikamaru said staring at the back of the blond as they walked.<p>

Naruto huffed loudly. "You said that already, Shikamaru. I heard you the first time. We have an hour before we need to leave, so its plenty of time to tell Sakura that we're about leave for a mission."

"You did tell us kind of late last night, Shika," Choji added with a grin.

Shikamaru couldn't argue. He was going to tell them immediately after he left the Hokage's office, but coincidentally he ran into his mother who just so happened to have been headed to the grocery store, and was unwillfully dragged into helping her shop. By the time he helped his mom carry her things back to her house, it was already night out.

Shikamaru conceded defeat. "Fine, but make it quick, please. This mission is important."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said. "'_Naruto, I need your help with this S-ranked mission.'_" he quoted in his best Shikamaru voice. "Ugh! I thought we were going to be facing some amazing ninja outlaw, or something like that, not deliver some stupid message."

"I told you that it was going to be a delivery message almost immediately afterwards."

"You should be happy, Naruto," Choji insisted. "Not many people get to go inside the walls of Otogakure."

"We still might not be let in." Naruto said still walking to Sakura's apartment.

"While ideally we want to hand deliver the message to Kazuhira, he needs only to receive it." Shikamaru replied. "We don't need to be granted access to Oto, we can just hand it over to the guards."

Shikamaru heard Naruto mutter a few curses under his breath, but didn't say anything afterwards. After another five minutes, they found themselves standing outside of Sakura's door. He watched Naruto knock on Sakura's door and wait all but five seconds before knocking again, and again, and again, and again...

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted in his hands as they were cupped on the door.

"Dammit, Naruto! Keep it down," Shikamaru hissed, frustrated. A moment passed before he heard shuffling on the opposite side of the door. It was furiously yanked open to revealed an irritated Sakura.

"Jeez, Naruto, why are you so loud?" Sakura demanded irritation prevalent in her voice.

"Just wanted to tell you that I'll be gone for a while due to a mission," Naruto explained, a cheeky grin plastered on his face from seeing his pink haired friend. "Delivering some message to Otogakure."

"A message?" Sakura couldn't help but wondering aloud.

"A request for an alliance," Shikamaru calmly added.

"An alliance with Oto? Really?" Sakura's visibly straightened, her curiousity piquing. "When are you guys leaving?"

"In thirty minutes, or so. Whenever we're done here," Shikamaru answered simply.

"Well you're free to come in, if you want."

"Really? Sweet!" Naruto shouted.

"Keep your voice down, idiot!" Sakura exclaimed, hitting him in the head.

"I tried to tell him," Shikamaru said walking into Sakura's apartment. Choji followed, with Naruto behind him rubbing the spot where Sakura had just hit him.

The three of them sat down on the couch. Sakura came over and plopped down in the armchair near them. "What's the rank of the mission?"

"S-ranked," replied from Shikamaru.

"An unworthy ranking if you ask me," Naruto immediately argued.

"It's an important mission, Naruto," Choji responded.

"Bah," was his answer.

"I agree with Choji," Sakura replied. "This could determine the outcome of a future relationship with Oto. It probably deserves the S-rank. Not so much as dangerous, but more along the lines of importance. Some of the S-ranks I've been on were ranked so high simply because of how important they were to village."

Shikamaru couldn't help but notice Naruto's facial features slightly falter at that small comment about the missions assigned to her. When Sakura had first joined the ANBU, Naruto fought with her tooth and nail to get her to quit. But she refused, saying that was where she belonged. Additionally, Ino had told him that at first whenever Sakura was away on an ANBU assignment, she could barely sleep constantly worrying about if Sakura would come back alive. She eventually accepted that Sakura wasn't going to change her mind regarding the ANBU.

For Shikamaru, he loved Sakura like a sister, and didn't want to see her severely injured, or worst, dead. But, he also knew that she would be able to handle almost anything thrown her way. After, the Fourth Shinobi War, and subsequently, Sasuke's departure again, she trained furiously and made a name for herself inside and outside of Konoha as one of the strongest shinobi. Shikamaru knew that both mentally and physically she could handle the ANBU.

He knew that Sakura was not ignorant of how cruel life could be.

Shikamaru moved his focus to the girl in his thoughts. Sakura sat there chatting idly with Naruto and Choji wearing a small smile that he had gotten use to.

It was fake—and she probably learned it from Sai. There was a time when she had more genuine smiles than fake ones. But the world weathered her down.

"I think it's time we leave," stated Shikamaru.

"Ahhh, c'mon Shikamaru we still have a couple of minutes," Naruto complained in protest. Shikamaru ignored him and made his way to the door. "Let's go, Naruto, Choji, I don't want Tsunade getting on me about this."

"Argh! Fine," Naruto huffed as he got off the couch. "I'll talk to you when I get back, Sakura."

She nodded. "Stay safe you, three."

"You bet!" Naruto replied. Shikamaru watched as Naruto pulled the door open, beckoning them to follow. He saw Naruto freeze in his movements as he stared in front of him. He couldn't see what Naruto was looking at due to the wall obstructing his view, though, so he followed Naruto out the door with Choji and Sakura shuffling beside him.

"What's the problem, Naru—" Sakura started. Her surprise was warranted. Even he couldn't stop the falter in his step. Standing before them, with bags full of produce of different kinds in his hands was Sasuke Uchiha looking impassively at them.

In a second, a flurry of orange passed Shikamaru and then Naruto had Sasuke by the collar, his bags dropping to the ground. Naruto didn't say anything as he glared at him. "Sasuke..." He finally growled between clenched teeth.

Shikamaru noticed Naruto's other hand clenched into a fist, and he was sure that there would be a fight between them soon. "Naruto!" He shouted, trying to get the attention of the enraged blond. "We have some place to be."

Naruto kept his gaze on Sasuke for a few moments, and Shikamaru could guess an entire conversation was being silently spoken between the two men. He finally released his hold on the Uchiha. and brushed passed him purposely bumping into his shoulder. Shikamaru's eyes ventured over to Sakura who after her initial shock seemed to observe the scene before her.

"We should go Shikamaru," Choji said following Naruto.

He nodded in response and followed Choji. He stopped when he came next to Sasuke. Shikamaru reached down and picked up one of the bags that fell from the Uchiha's grasp and handed it out to him. Sasuke took it. "Welcome back, Sasuke." Shikamaru said simply and caught up to Choji.

* * *

><p>Why was he here?<p>

Sakura watched the raven haired man pick up his bags that were forced to the ground by Naruto. To be honest, she thought their confrontation whenever it would have happened would have been a lot more...explosive.

"What do you need, Sasuke?" She asked wondering his intentions.

"I need nothing from you, Sakura," came his baritone reply.

She scowled. "Then why are you here?" The Uchiha gave no reply. He simply walked past her, ignoring the question. He stopped at the door adjacent to hers and sat his bags down to fish for something in his pouch.

Was Sasuke visiting someone? Is that why he was here? But, there was no one in the apartment next to her, it's been empty ever since she moved in. Everything seemed to click in her brain when he finally found what he was looking for, a key.

Sasuke was living next to her.

He was her neighbor.

Sasuke didn't seem the least bit fazed by it as he opened the door and stepped in to his apartment, shutting it behind him.

Why had he moved in beside her? She was content in ignoring the Uchiha as long she could before having to talk to him, which would have inevitably happened. Surely he didn't know where she lived beforehand, or maybe he asked Tsunade. If so, then why?

She scowled again.

She thought about pounding on the door and demanding an answer from him but she knew he probably wouldn't come to the door and nor would she embarrass herself like that.

So instead she walked back into her own home.

* * *

><p><strong>.<strong>

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><p><strong>Next chapter Shikamaru, Naruto, and Choji will be off to Oto. Also, I believe that I'll be sticking with Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, and Shikamaru as the primary POVs I'll be writing from. It might change as the story progresses, but right now, I think it's fine with just them.<strong>

**Let me know if you enjoyed it or not. A review would be much appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

_"...I shall be telling this with a sigh_

_Somewhere ages and ages hence:_

_Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—_

_I took the one less traveled by,_

_And that has made all the difference." _—Robert Frost, "Road Not Taken"

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Decisions**

* * *

><p>"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee shouted as he came whirling towards Sakura. She knew to dodge, not block this attack, and evaded swiftly and went to land a heavy kick to Lee's abdomen but like many times before Lee swiftly jumped out of her striking zone and landed away from her.<p>

"Ahh! My beautiful blossom you are getting faster and faster each day!" Lee said encouragingly giving her a thumbs up with a wide smile.

Sakura smirked and swiftly appeared in front of him. She expertly gathered chakra to her fist to send a devastating punch his way. Lee, fluidly dodged the attack, and sent powerful kick her way. Sakura being off-balance from the failed punch could only attempt to block the kick as she pooled the chakra to her arms. His kick was heavy and felt like a tree trunk smashing into her limbs.

She slid back a few feet and quickly regenerated any damage the kick might have caused to her in a couple of seconds. Lee was resilient, however, and kept the pressure on her, sending punches and kicks her way at blinding speed. Many she couldn't dodge and resorted to blocking, further damaging her arms and leaving bruises.

The force behind each hit was astounding, so much so that Sakura was sure that if she didn't support her arms with her chakra they would surely have been broken by now.

Sakura defenses were wearing down with each blow and she knew she had to retreat to a safe distance. So, after a particularly strong attack she quickly jumped backwards trying to distance herself from her opponent. Lee still didn't alleviate the pressure he was placing on Sakura as he quickly reached her and pulled his arm back to deliver another attack.

She knew this was her chance. She would parry his attack, deflecting in such a way to make him overextend his and get thrown slightly off-balance so that she could deliver a counterattack. The punch came and she deflected as planned, and just as she thought Lee stumbled slightly out of his stance. Sakura built up her chakra to her fist and attempted to make contact with his stomach while his guard was down. However, Lee recovered just in time to block the incoming attack. The force made him skid his feet across the dirt in an attempt to slow his acceleration from the powerful hit.

Lee looked up at Sakura and gave her a smile. "That was a nice counterattack, Sakura!" Lee shook his arms no doubt trying to regain feeling in them. "You've barely broken a sweat!" Lee commented. "But, that's to be expected!" He continued to praise.

"I could easily say the same to you Lee," she huffed trying to regulate her breathing. Lee really was the one of best taijutsu users in the world. She knew that he could even best the Hokage herself if it came to only taijutsu and nothing else. And that was saying something. This is why Sakura liked having Lee as a sparring partner. He was able to push her past her limits. The very first time she started to train her taijutus with Lee four years ago Sakura was completely outclassed in speed and strength, even with all of the Hokage's training.

She became closer to Lee as a friend over the years due to their regular sparring sessions. He had stopped pursuing her shortly after the war ended and Sakura had not complained about it. It only made talking to him less awkward. He still would praise her every chance he got but that was just his personality.

She wondered if he knew Sasuke was back, wondered how he reacted when he first heard the news—if he even cared. But of course, he risked his life trying to return the Uchiha back to the village, to save him from the clutches of Orochimaru. Sakura still thought it surreal, that after all these years years he just simply returned. She had always thought that there would be some battle between Sasuke and them, and that would be the determining factor by which he would return, kill one of them, or die. But it never occurred. Yes, there was the time when they had met him at one of Orochimaru's hideouts and shortly after Danzo's death, but those hardly qualified as more than a skirmish.

And now he was her neighbor. It had been two days since that revelation, and she hadn't seen him since. She wanted to confront him and ask why he left after the war. Why he did that to Naruto. To her? all those years ago.

"What's on your mind, Sakura?" Lee asked. She snapped out of her trance and tossed a look at Lee noticing the lines of worry marring his brow.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to zone out there," she reassured. He didn't seem convinced and further questioned.

"You can tell me if something is bothering you." He said flashing her a smile. "Is it Sasuke?" She had hoped that Lee would have simply never brought Sasuke up in conversation as so many people seemed to bother her about the man, lately. So, she couldn't help but scowl.

"It's fine, Lee, I promise," she replied shortly. Lee had seemed to catch the slight irritation in her voice and sighed.

"I meant no harm, Sakura. I was worried. That's all."

Sakura inwardly cursed herself. He was only concerned for her well-being and didn't mean to hit a somewhat sensitive area. The words escaped her lips before she could stop. "Everyone keeps asking me how I feel about Sasuke being back. Its annoying. I personally don't care whether he's here or not." She vented, frustration apparent in her words.

"But, things can go back to normal now." Lee stated, enthusiastically.

She scowled at that comment and her fists clenched until her knuckles turned snow white. "Things can never go back to the way they were."

"It can, if you try," came his reply. Sakura took notice of how serious Lee was right now. Rarely did this side of him ever come out. He was normally so cheerful and optimistic.

She mulled over his words in her head, dissecting the simple meaning behind them.

"When I was bullied as a kid," Lee continued. "I never thought it would get any better, and that I would forever be a failure." A smile a grew on his face. "Then, I met Gai-sensei. He helped me pull myself up, taught me how to be a ninja without ninjutsu and genjutsu. Then, I met new friends, and a beautiful girl with pink hair."Sakura looked up at him at that. "And along with her, I met Naruto, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and even Sasuke." He shrugged his shoulders. "If you told my child self that everything would get better, he would not have believed you."

She had no comment. Sakura simply stood listening to his words. "It will get better if you let it, Sakura."

"It's not that easy, Lee."

"Maybe not, but you can't just keep evading him forever, my blossom."

"He lives next to me, now. So, I'll be around him much more than I'd prefer."

Lee gave her a measured look. "When you return home, will you tell him I said hello?" Lee asked giving her one of his signature smiles and thumbs up. She couldn't believe that he asked just that. Sakura shook her head and but couldn't stop small smile that spread across her lips. He knew how to deflate a tense situation.

"Shall we continue?" He questioned lightly jumping in place.

She nodded and quickly closed the gap between them, directing the chakra to her arms.

* * *

><p><em>Night hung around him like a perfect cloak as he moved effortlessly and silently through the trees, making his way to the destination. He slowed to a stop when he saw the forest ending ahead of him and using the moonlight, he looked at the picture of the man in his hand to memorize his features. He had a rectangular shaped head with a hard set jaw, dusted with a few specks of hair. The mop on his head was the color of the timber trees around him, and his brow and eyes were solemn as if he knew the fate that was to befall him.<br>_

_He folded picture in to his back pocket and stared at the two-story house far in the distance. It sat secluded in the farmland that surrounded it, away from everyone—alone. He hugged the treeline and waited for the final light within the house to flick off before approaching slowly through the corn stalk field. Even if his target somehow saw his crops moving in the distance, he would be none the wiser, attributing it to the wildlife that would undoubtedly roam these fields every so often. This being his rationale, he slowly increased his pace while making as little noise as possible. _

_His cover of the crop stopped a few feet in front of him, which gave way to a field of cabbage after a small pathway that separated the two crops. He cursed at his luck. The house was about another six hundred feet away. He would either have to test his luck with the cabbage field and hope his target doesn't look outside a window or he would have to attempt to circle the house in hopes that he found a side that lacked windows. He opted for the latter, knowing that taking unnecessary risks was foolish._

_Backing away from the edge of the maize field, he moved to his left trying to reach another side of the house hoping that there were no windows. After minutes of stalking through the field, it became apparent that the side he was currently going toward lacked any windows. He stopped moving when he directly faced the that side of the house. _

_Cautiously, he stepped through the edge of the corn. He was now standing on a continuation of the trail that he saw when he was near the cabbage. It seemed to split the turnips ahead of him into two separate sections reaching all the way to the side of the house where he was now looking. He followed the dirt pathway until he came next to the house. _

_He stayed close to the wall and made his way to the front of the house stopping when he reached a window next to the front porch. He looked inside and cursed under his breath._

_From his view outside the window he saw a little girl with wispy black hair no older than seven in a kitchen, standing on her toes to reach for the faucet, cup in hand. She poured herself a glass of water and turned toward the window. He quickly ducked his head out of her vantage point and heard the soft sound of the creaking floorboards grow only slightly louder before it the sound gradually diminished. He lifted his head and peered inside the house again. The girl was nowhere to be seen, no doubt taking her midnight drink to her bed. _

_His client said nothing about his target having a family._ _"This guys been fucking with me for years, so don't feel too bad about killing him. He's a murderer. Just like me, and just like you, Otari. " His client had a finished with a sickening smile. But that wasn't his real name, only an alias he had been using since the conclusion of the Fourth World War. Sasuke wasn't stupid. He knew that using his real name would be one of the dumbest things he could do. In addition to not using his actual name, he refrained from using his Sharingan any place where he wasn't by himself. He was the only person left who had the Sharingan, or at least a pair of them. It would be easy to identify who he actually was.__  
><em>

_He did one more glance at what he could see inside the house and then slowly opened the window. He gracefully slipped inside and listened for any noise to make locating the man easier. In the silence of night he heard the softest snore emitting itself from above the staircase on the second floor. Knowing that it was probably his best bet, he moved like a shadow in the darkness to the stairs, but couldn't help but look at the pictures that lined the walls. _

_His eyes slowly focused on one of them which was slightly illuminated by the moonlight flooding through the window. It was of the man and a woman with two girls an older one probably ten and the same girl he had saw just earlier. The picture to the right, was of the man slightly younger, smiling with same the woman, belly was swollen with pregnancy who was holding the hand of a little girl. Sasuke thoughts were abruptly broken when he heard a choked sob emit from the hallway that he assumed the younger girl had disappeared through. He heard a door open and frantic steps rushed toward his direction. _

_As quickly and as quietly as possible. He hid in the kitchen; his back pressed against the wall. The sobs still came from hallway and had not followed the footsteps bounding up the stairs. He could only hear part of the child's plea as he heard a door open. "Daddy... crying about mommy..." A few moments passed and the stairs creaked as now two pairs of feet creaked on the steps this time. Sasuke peaked his head around the corner.  
><em>

_He saw his target, the person he was contracted to assassinate, holding the hand of the small girl he saw earlier attempting to quench her thirst, who seemed to now be on the verge of tears. The stifled cries of grief had not yet stopped by the time the man went down the hallway to his daughter's room. _

_"Honey, sshhh, she's in a better place, now," he heard the man comfort from inside the bedroom. This only seemed to make the cry resound with more grief than before. _

_The lady in the picture, the mother of the two children, Sasuke concluded had died in some way. And by how the younger girl in the photo with the woman looked almost the same as she did now, he assumed she had not been dead all that long. _

_"Here, I'll stay with you guys tonight, how's that sound?" The sobs quieted a bit. "Let me just go get a pillow. I'll be right back." _

_He heard only one pair of feet patter across the floor this time. Sasuke knew that he would have to kill him now, when his children weren't watching. He waited for the man's heavy tread to go up the stairs. He quickly appeared from his place behind the kitchen wall, and as quietly as possible he went up the stairs only making it halfway before he heard a piercing scream behind him. He quickly turned on the stairs and saw the small girl from before staring at him in shock. He must have been too preoccupied with trying to silently climb the staircase to notice her impossibly soft footsteps. He cursed._

_ The man quickly bounded from around the corner and looked at him. His eyes grew wide with fear. The man seemed to notice his daughter at the bottom step paralyzed in terror. Sasuke notice something ignite in the man's eyes. His target ran at him in an attempt to tackle him over the staircase. Sasuke ducked under the man's arms and expertly flipped him over the railing causing him to land on his back with a echoing thud.  
><em>

_His target was not a ninja, Sasuke had noticed. Any ninja would have been able to land that and not end up on their back, struggling to get themselves off the ground. The smaller daughter rushed over to her father as he lifted himself from the floor, the adrenaline draining from him. Sasuke jumped over railing and landed next to them. The man retreated hugging his daughter close to him._

_"Why are y-you in my house? W-what do you want?" He backed away slightly. Sasuke gave no answer as he approached the man. With a ring of metal on metal he drew his sword from its sheath.  
><em>

_"Daddy..." a sob. His eyes averted to the hallway. __Sasuke watched as the older of the daughters emerge from her bedroom wiping her eyes with her hands.__"What's wrong?" _

_The man followed Sasuke's eyes to his daughter and quickly ran to her, carrying the other, and pressed her behind him. "Please! Do what you want with me. Just don't hurt my daughters. Please!"  
><em>

_The older girl stood there watching Sasuke staring at him with eyes whose innocence had been stolen prematurely. Her face contorted in utter despair as the realization of the situation slammed into her, the realization that she could lose her father. Choked sobs started to rack her small frame._

"Don't feel too bad about killing him. He's a murder. Just like me, and just like you."_ Those words rang through his mind and echoed off every corner of his conscience. Could he really kill this man, and leave his children without a father and a mother, was he really so heartless? Maybe he was thought. This was would be his sixteenth assassination.  
><em>

_He's a murderer. A murderer._

_A murderer. _

_He's a murderer, just like me and just like you._

_Sasuke lowered his sword._

And, his eyes opened to the inside of his bedroom. The light of day effortlessly pierced his retinas and caused him to send a hand to his eyes to act as a shield as he rose from his bed. He needed to remember to draw the blinds closed before he went to sleep every night.

His thoughts unwillingly veered to the dream he had just experienced. It happened no less than a year ago, and the effect it had on him was as boggling as ever. Why had it haunted his nights for all these days? After that contract he never returned back to his client. He opted for another line of service.

He sighed, heavily.

But right now, that's not what bothered him the most. How had he chose an apartment that was literally right next to Sakura's? He had opened his door yesterday to see Sakura leave her apartment, and neither of them said a word to each other, no acknowledgement of any kind. He and Sakura simply went their separate ways.

At that moment Sasuke had realized that she was no longer infatuated with him like she used to be. But, this was no surprise to him. How could it be?

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, he was in mood to dwell on this subject.

He changed his clothes and went to the kitchen to eat a quick breakfast—just tomatoes and toast. He needed to occupy himself. He had done nothing for the last two days. Only trained. Trying to hone his skills without the help of his Sharingan. He was bored. So very bored. He wondered when Tsunade would assign him a mission, so much so that it was irking him to the point where he was thinking of demanding one just to have something to do.

With no destination in mind he left his home, only to be stopped by the scene before him. There stood Ino Yamanaka, knocking on Sakura's door, with Hinata standing behind her. Ino turned her head to face him and their gazes locked. Her face instantly fell, replaced with one of pure disgust.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" She shouted anger evident in her tone. She quickly closed the gap between them fire in her eyes. Sasuke wasn't sure if she meant why he was here next to her or why he was in Konoha, why he came back.

"I live here." Sasuke said dismissively. He was in no mood to having a staring contest with the Yamanaka girl, so he made to walk around her, but she sidestepped to block his way. His indifferent face was replaced with a deep scowl. "Move," he demanded tersely.

He could see the hate in her eyes, scorching with spite.

He didn't blame her.

"You live next to Sakura?!" This realization seemed to make her all the more livid. "Why would you even choose to do that?!" He thought about telling her that it was a simple coincidence, and that if he knew Sakura was was neighbor, he would have surely opted for a different housing arrangement. He was sure she wouldn't listen, however.

"Ino," came the soft-spoken woman next to her. "We should leave. Sakura's obviously not here."

She doesn't stutter anymore, was the first thought that flowed through his head. What caused her to change her demeanor? His mind couldn't help but wonder to if Naruto had finally realized how much this girl had liked him. Since they were twelve—no, not twelve, so much earlier than that—he had known that Hinata had like Naruto, had idolized him. Everyone knew this, everyone except Naruto.

"Sasuke, if you see Sakura, tell her that we were looking for her, please." She expressed her dislike differently than Ino. She spoke words coated in cold hard courtesy as if pure anger was beneath her. He gave no response to indicate he would do such a task.

A moment passed, and Ino swiftly turned around, her blonde ponytail lightly smacking his body. She stormed off past Hinata. "Asshole." he heard the blonde mutter under breath as she passed the Hyuga. Hinata followed closely behind.

* * *

><p>It was late. The sun had set when the small pigeon landed on Kakashi's window sill, pecking at the glass. Kakashi now found himself knocking on the door to Tsunade's office, wondering why she had summoned him.<p>

"Come in!" Kakashi heard the voice from inside say. He opened the door to reveal Tsunade sitting at her desk, scribbling something on a sheet of paper.

"You rang?" He asked closing the door behind him. She put her pen down and looked up at the white haired man.

"I need you to help me out Kakashi," she stated, leaning in her chair.

His eyebrows raised. "Oh?" After ruffling threw the papers on her desk, she came across one and gazed at it intently.

"Here." She gave him the note and watched his expression. His face gave nothing away. He was far too trained to let it do so.

"A team, huh?" His face was expressionless and impassive as he read over the paper in hand.

"The new batch of students just graduated from the academy, and Sasuke is still officially a genin, Kakashi. And just like all other genin, he needs to be placed in a team of three. The Chunin Exams will be soon, so it won't be for too long." The thought was a tad humorous to him. Even after all Sasuke had gone through, he still had yet to past the Chunin Exams and was still technically a genin. Kakashi realized that he was going to be Sasuke's teacher again, whether he could say he was happy about it was a different story.

"And who will be the other two lucky members?" He questioned sarcastically.

"The Hyuga girl, and Akio Hatoyama. Both are considered geniuses, and I believe they will be the only ones to even slightly keep up with Sasuke."

"Do you really think it's wise to put him in a team of genin, though?" He had to admit that he was skeptical of the idea. The two genin probably did not know much of Sasuke, didn't know of his place in the war, or of the crimes he committed against Konoha, but their reactions weren't the ones he worried about. He worried about how Sauske would entertain the notion of being place on a team with two people practically half as young as he was.

"It will teach him some humility." Her toned had a sense of finality to it, so Kakashi didn't push the decision any further. "So, you up to the task, Kakashi?" She continued.

The last genin team Kakashi had led was Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke. He had refrained from leading any genin after those three, but maybe it was time to get back in the business. Maybe this time his team would be somewhat normal. He could only hope. "Well, we'll see, won't we?"

Tsunade smirked. "I think another bell test is in order, Kakashi."

He chuckled and shook his head. "You just might be right."

* * *

><p><strong>.<strong>

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><p><strong>Some back story involving the line of work Sasuke was in. He always seemed like a hitman to me, an assassin of sorts. Also, I'm aware not much in relation to story happened this chapter but it will pave the for more later on.<br>**

**By the way, _Daybreak_ by Maurice Ravel, absolutely gorgeous.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. If there were any grammatical errors please tell me. I love hearing your thoughts. Reviews are absolutely welcome!**


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